Ron Paul "Most Consequential" GOP Presidential Candidate

Interesting comments from the low-tax activist and longtime Republican player in this Washington Post article on the surging fortunes of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas):

"Ron Paul is the most consequential guy running for president," said Grover Norquist, an anti-tax activist and Republican organizer. "All the other guys are basically saying the same things, and one gets to be the nominee. But Ron Paul has changed the nature of the modern Republican Party and brought into it discussions not only of non-interventionist overseas policy but monetary policy."

Norquist addressed Paul's alternative 2008 convention and calls it "one of the McCain era's tactical errors" not to embrace the congressman and his supporter base that year — in effect discounting a potentially energized group of campaign volunteers. He said Paul, unlike his rivals, was drawing new people to the GOP, just as Pat Robertson helped lure millions of evangelical voters into the party with his 1988 presidential bid and the tea party movement attracted more activists in 2010.

"I hope to be there to watch [Paul] speak from the main stage in prime time" at the 2012 GOP convention, Norquist said.